Amidst a pivotal political occurrence, the principal opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), wielding dominance within the Maldivian Parliament, purportedly readies itself to present a motion for the ousting of President Mohamed Muizzu. This maneuver arises in the aftermath of tumultuous confrontations erupting in Parliament on Sunday, stemming from disputes concerning the endorsement of four individuals within the cabinet of the pro-China President.

 

Per media accounts on Monday, the MDP, in tandem with The Democrats’ parliamentary faction, has amassed abundant signatures for an impeachment motion. Nonetheless, the motion is yet to be officially lodged. Shedding illumination on the scenario, a legislator from the MDP articulated, “The MDP, in collaboration with the Democrats, have collected sufficient endorsements for an impeachment motion. Nevertheless, submission remains pending,” as conveyed by Sun.com.

 

The resolution to pursue an impeachment motion purportedly achieved unanimity during a parliamentary caucus of the MDP convened on Monday, as delineated by The Edition.mv.

 

The parliamentary commotion ensued when the MDP and The Democrats’ parliamentary faction opted to withhold endorsement for four cabinet members of President Muizzu, eliciting a demonstration by pro-government parliamentarians from the ruling party Progressive Party of Maldives and People’s National Congress (PPM/PNC) coalition. The turmoil precipitated an impasse during the parliamentary session.

 

President Muizzu, aged 45, triumphed in the presidential runoff conducted in September the preceding year, vanquishing the incumbent Ibrahim Mohamed Solih. Shortly after assuming office on November 17, President Muizzu formally petitioned India to withdraw 88 military personnel from the Maldives by March 15, citing a resounding mandate from the Maldivian populace.

 

The impeachment motion emerges amidst the backdrop of the Parliament, comprising 87 members, recently amending its procedural rules to facilitate the introduction of such motions. The MDP and Democrats collectively control 56 seats, with 43 MPs from MDP and 13 from Democrats. According to Sun.com, “The Constitution, in conjunction with the Parliament’s procedural rules, stipulates that the president can be impeached with 56 votes.”

 

This political occurrence ensues the submission of motions of no confidence against Speaker Mohamed Aslam and Deputy Speaker Ahmed Saleem, both hailing from the MDP, by the PPM-PNC coalition, bolstered by 23 legislators.